This invention relates to preformed inserts that fit into hollow cavities or cores of concrete building blocks to provide insulation.
Various attempts have been made to insulate masonry building blocks. Included among these is the manufacture of STYROFOAM.RTM. inserts that can be slid into masonry block cavities of various sizes and shapes. These foam inserts are intended to prevent the transfer of heat or cold from inexpensively constructed buildings (e.g., factories), where the buildings' inner walls are actually the "inside" faces of the masonry blocks. In these buildings, there is no inside paneling or sheet metal, so the blocks must be well insulated to prevent large "heat" transfers.
These inserts are made specifically for three common-sized concrete blocks. These common-sized concrete blocks comprise approximately seventy percent of the market. There is, however, another thirty percent of the market that is comprised of "odd-sized" or "odd-shaped" concrete blocks (e.g., they can have different lengths or non-rectangular cross sections). When dealing with these varied concrete blocks, it is nearly impossible to fit prior inserts (like that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,244 to Ducharme) into all the differently dimensioned cavities. Yet, workmen typically try to "make" the insert fit, rather than waste time obtaining a different-sized version than the one on hand. If too large of an insert is then forced inside a smaller cavity, it is usually damaged or destroyed and, thus, rendered useless. On the other hand, if a user tries to use a smaller insert in a larger cavity, the insert is typically too small to be of any use.
Manufacturers of these common-sized inserts have nonetheless attempted to make and sell multiple odd-sized inserts. This is often times economically frustrating, however, because the insert manufacturers must undergo expensive retooling. This retooling is not only costly, it is also time consuming.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a block insert that is sufficiently collapsible both widthwise and lengthwise to fit even odd-sized cavities in concrete building blocks.
It is another object to provide a block insert with unique T-slots at both ends that collapse to allow the insert to be wedged into different-shaped cavities.
It is a more specific object to provide a block insert with a T-slot at each end, whereby the vertical portion of the "T" permits widthwise collapsing, and cooperates with the horizontal portion of the "T" to allow substantial lengthwise reduction, when desired.
The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.